Great post!
This resonates a lot with me, and I'm happy the post has gotten a fair bit of attention. Anecdotally, this has increasingly become the part of EA I feel I have to answer for the most to outsiders these days.
A slightly related idea I've seen some success with — both in EA and elsewhere — is what I've come to think of as the reverse free lunch effect:
When people get something fancy or expensive for free they tend to become aware they are being intized to be there. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch and there might be an implication of getting something back. The interaction can end up more transactional in nature.
Conversely, if they get the frugal treatment you're signaling they are there because they're part of the ingroup. There is no facade, no free fancy lunch. They are there because they want to be a part of whatever you are doing together. This paradoxically often creates a much more exclusive-feeling experience, and therefore also a deeper connection to whatever you are there to do. Obviously the issue might be getting people in the door in the first place, so this might be more of an advanced technique.
Maybe this is just a cultural effect from dugnad country, but thought it was worth sharing.
Great post! This resonates a lot with me, and I'm happy the post has gotten a fair bit of attention. Anecdotally, this has increasingly become the part of EA I feel I have to answer for the most to outsiders these days.
A slightly related idea I've seen some success with — both in EA and elsewhere — is what I've come to think of as the reverse free lunch effect: When people get something fancy or expensive for free they tend to become aware they are being intized to be there. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch and there might be an implication of getting something back. The interaction can end up more transactional in nature. Conversely, if they get the frugal treatment you're signaling they are there because they're part of the ingroup. There is no facade, no
freefancy lunch. They are there because they want to be a part of whatever you are doing together. This paradoxically often creates a much more exclusive-feeling experience, and therefore also a deeper connection to whatever you are there to do. Obviously the issue might be getting people in the door in the first place, so this might be more of an advanced technique.Maybe this is just a cultural effect from dugnad country, but thought it was worth sharing.
I got so excited by your lightning talk! Can't wait to check it out!
This made my day!
This is good feedback, Tyler. Thanks!